The myth of the satisfied implant customer
Q: Why do so many women say that they are satisfied with their implants?
A: It depends on who you ask
Dr. Marcia Angell and other "experts" on breast implants often quote a statistic indicating that most implant patients are very satisfied with their implants. However, the statistic is based on a marketing survey by plastic surgeons conducted approximately 10 years ago, not by an objective study. It should not be considered an accurate assessment of how implanted women feel about their implants.
Below is a quote from a Congressiona report that I wrote on this topic, that was published in 1993. Unfortunately, it is just as relevant today as it was then. Anyone who is interested in reading the entire report, can find a link to it on our website, as the last link listed on our breast implant section.
Sincerely,
Diana Zuckerman
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"The ASPRS also quoted a survey they had conducted, which claimed that more than 90 percent of women with breast implants were very satisfied. However, less than half of the women who were sent questionnaires in that survey completed them. Scientists have criticized the survey as a marketing device, not a scientific study. Since there was no way to know if women who were unhappy with their implants had the opportunity to participate in the survey, FDA therefore ignored its findings. In fact, the PMA's clearly indicated that there is no long-term safety data on breast implants."
Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D.
Executive Director
National Center for Policy Research for Women and Families
1901 Pennsylvania Ave, NW,
Suite 901
Washington, DC 20006
202 223-4000
